Exercise Dark Blade 2019 Completed

During the event more than twenty five helicopters performed different missions with the contribution of about six hundred soldiers of six nations. The Hungarian contingent contributed with five helicopters to the air operations, in which they spent close to seventy hours in the air.

In the last week in addition to further Composite Air Operations (COMAOs), our Mi-24P type helicopters performed air-to-surface live firing combined with Close Air Support (CAS) in a complex tactical environment on Boletice Military Training Area (MTA) with the contribution of the Belgian, Czech and Hungarian Joint Tactical Air Controller Team (ERICS). Besides supporting live firing, the Hungarian ERICS was involved in an operation simulating a convoy escort operation combined with air protection, jointly with a Belgian-flagged A109 type helicopter.

Night flight could not be left out this time either, which was performed by the Hungarian pilots in a three-helicopter formation with the help of night vision goggles (NVGs). The so called “crossflight" was left for the last day. The pilots had the opportunity to fly training flights with the aircraft of other nations, thus the Czech Mi-24 and Mi-17, the Belgian NH-90, and also the Slovenian AS352 “Cougar" came under Hungarian hands for a few hours.

The Dark Blade 2019 enriched with a vast amount of new experiences the development of the Hungarian helicopter personnel. Each mission required a very accurate planning and performance owing to the rainy weather. This was helped by the tireless and flawless work of the air technical personnel. This year again, it has been demonstrated that the Hungarian helicopters are essential participants of the exercise to be held from year to year.